


I Miss You More Than You Know

by ElizaDarling



Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [3]
Category: Disney - All Media Types, Onward (2020)
Genre: #Give Ian Lightfoot A Boyfriend, #GiveIanLightfootABoyfriend, Adult Ian Lightfoot, Aeric K. Aldheim is a mess, Breaking Up & Making Up, Established Relationship, Eventual Happy Ending, I'm Bad At Tagging, Ian Lightfoot's Amazing Glo-Up, M/M, Major Original Character(s), Making Up, Oh God Yes, Onward (2020) Spoilers, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Relationship(s), Post-Break Up, Post-Canon, Post-Onward (2020), Reminiscing, Tags May Change, Teaching, Walk Into A Bar, am I still writing for Onward because I have no willpower?, no regrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29128320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaDarling/pseuds/ElizaDarling
Summary: Five years after graduating from Willowdale College, Aeric K. Aldheim returns to New Mushroomton, only to find himself quickly running into his ex, Ian Lightfoot, who's done quite a bit of glowing up in the years they've been apart.
Relationships: Corey | The Manticore/Laurel Lightfoot, Ian Lightfoot & Original Character(s), Ian Lightfoot/Original Character(s), Ian Lightfoot/Original Male Character(s), Sadalia Brushthorn & Ian Lightfoot
Series: There's a Spark You Just Can't Fight [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1701850
Comments: 5
Kudos: 3





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly this wasn't supposed to take so long to get out to everyone, but luckily this little story will be a LOT shorter than what I've done for these two.
> 
> This is just a part three to wrap everything up in a neat little bow. It's gonna go all over the place, but this has definitely been in my head since I started writing and drawing for these boys! And I hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I loved creating for them.

_**I Miss You More Than You Know** _

**Part One**

" _Yeah, I know that I said you'd be easy to forget_

 _But I know I'll never get you off my mind_."

—" **Miss U More Than U Know" Sofia Carson & R3HAB**

Was it just him, or were bars in New Mushroomton just getting more crowded?

Aeric squeezed his way to the counter, exhaling as he pushed his Wayfarer glasses up his nose to get a better look at the place. The whole "gastropub" aspect of pretty much every bar downtown started to all congregate into one entity, no matter where Aeric found himself: low lighting from hanging bulbs, rustic red wood counters and walls, mirrored walls boasting an impressive liquor collection. It was like this in Crystalwood; it was like this in the Northern Realm. Even the name had a twinge of slightly hipster, yet generic ring to it: New Mushroomton Aleworks.

Whatever brought patrons in, Aeric supposed, fighting to get _one_ elbow on the counter so he could flag down one of the bartenders, a pixie flying around a mile a minute as she opened up tabs and handed out drinks without spilling a drop. He found himself fighting for room between a centaur and a troll, and even for a tall elf, he was completely dwarfed and ignored for a good five minutes before the bartender lavished any sort of attention on him.

"Opening a tab?" she asked, taking the card Aeric had held out for what seemed like a good ten minutes (but in reality, probably only a minute or two).

"Yeah, I'll have a pint of Dragon Ate My Homework," he decided, reading off the one beer on the menu that was legible enough for him to see under the troll's elbow, figuring it'd do. A saison, fruit-centric beer usually wasn't his first go-to, but for a beer the alcohol content was high enough for him to figure knocking down a few of these would open him up to... someone.

"You got it," the bartender promised, nodding as she rang his card up. Once he had his card back, the pint in his hands, Aeric stepped back, allowing himself a little bit of space as he took his first sip. Damn, that dragonfruit-blackberry flavor really came through, and yet... the strength of the alcohol wasn't diminished. Sometimes the strangest beers, though, surprised him greatly—but maybe that just came with age. 26 was a world away from fourteen, when Tina first thrust a plastic cup in his hands with the crappiest keg beer imaginable, and at the time, Aeric downed it just to even _think_ about talking to the cute guy in the corner.

But maybe this wasn't much different. Sure, Aeric had a suave set of glasses now, and a way better affinity for subtle flavors in beer, but he still scanned the loud bar like it was his first party, reading the body language of each patron with the sole purpose of mustering up the courage to talk to them (and perhaps, well, a little more). Also, it'd been almost five years since he last lived in New Mushroomton—obviously things had changed, especially with why he'd moved back.

The guys, though? That, he doubted.

Sure, he could hang with the guys with the matching Fjørn's Glenn shirts, but how low would it be to hook up with someone like that on his first real outing since he moved back? Not that that hadn't happened in other towns, but...

But gods, that elf from the back might be able to—

Aeric turned his back to the group quickly, taking a long swig. His beer goggles weren't even _on_ yet, and he was already thinking about that. He should just talk to that nice troll in the corner, texting with perhaps some purpose of meeting up with someone on the way.

But, just as Aeric was about to evaluate the room again, his eyes locked onto the elf that just walked in, and was it just him, or did the sunset backlighting the downtown windows make the newcomer... glow? He felt his breath catch, thinking this just _had_ to be the mother of all coincidences, because of all the bars in downtown New Mushroomton during Friday Happy Hour...

Ian Lightfoot just happened to walk into this one.

His mouth dried up, feet frozen in place as Ian walked to the bar, rolling the sleeves of his red button-down up to his elbows. Most couldn't pull off a sweater vest, but in the years since graduating, Ian's shoulders broadened, finally growing into himself, given by the end of college he'd even grown a few inches. The baby fat shed from his cheeks, leaving a soft, angular jaw and defined cheekbones in their wake, and while most guys Aeric knew really couldn't pull off a goatee, on Ian, it added the perfect edge, effortlessly suave as he smiled at the bartender.

He should leave. He should just down the rest of his beer and hole up in his crappy little apartment he'd just started renting a few blocks away and try to forget this even happened. Sure, moving back here meant he'd always run the _risk_ of running into Ian, but this soon, when he had nothing except his job and an endless number of nameless guys that had been in and out of his life since they broke up six years ago? It wasn't time.

And sure, when would the "time" even be? When Aeric stopped judging everyone based on some arbitrary standard of _how much_ like Ian a guy could be? Whenever Ian finally tied the knot so Aeric could see it as an out to move on?

Was there some otherworldly reason as to why they happened to be in this bar, at this specific time? Should he take the opportunity to say something, before Mom inevitably told Laurel about how he moved back because work wanted him _specifically_ for this job? Ian was at least bound to find out from that exchange.

Might as well be in control of this moment.

Aeric took a giant gulp of his beer, downing more than half of it before heading back up to the bar, squeezing his way next to the cyclops on Ian's right side, just as Ian started to order.

"I'll put his drink on my tab," Aeric interjected loudly, so the pixie bartender could hear him, and not charge Ian immediately.

"Sorry, but I'm not—" Ian started to decline, and of _course_ he'd heard that proposal a hundred times, but when he looked over to see who'd made the offer, those warm, dark eyes widened. "Oh my gods, _Aeric_?"

Aeric could only offer a sheepish smile. "Hey, stranger." The cyclops silently moved back to switch places with him, getting the memo. He set his pint on the counter as Ian offered his arms out for a hug, and he could feel the flex of biceps under that button-down. Oh, this was not going to be easy.

"You still want him to pay for your drink?" the bartender asked, blinking impatiently.

"Oh—no, I couldn't," Ian said as he pulled away, handing her his card. "He's an old friend."

 _Better than saying ex_. Aeric had to take the small wins where he could, but his smile turned a little pained at the label.

"So... when did you move back to New Mushroomton?" he continued, shooting Aeric a wide grin. He must have finally gotten those braces he always wanted, though there's always be a part of him that'd miss its charming crookedness. "I think your mom mentioned something to mine."

"About two weeks ago?" Aeric confessed, taking a swig. He should slow down, wait for Ian to grab his drink before continuing his own. At the same time—getting drunk as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to worry so much about how he came off to Ian sounded like the better proposal. "Work, uh... specifically wanted me on the project here since it's where I grew up. My apartment is tiny and absolute crap, but... it was all I could find on such short notice."

"And you came back _here_ after traveling all over the realms?" Ian inclined forward a little, engaged. "I mean, you're so lucky to be _out_ for like... five years. Seeing all the people, all the culture, working on... Sorry, Aer, what is it you do again?"

Aer. He hadn't heard that from Ian's mouth in so long. And it wasn't the sign that he drove by into city lines that welcomed him back to New Mushroomton, it was _this_. "I'm an engineer for SolarTech? You know, bringing renewable sources of energy to different places all over the realms? It's, uh... kind of why I was traveling around for five years. Better than going pro, right?"

"I honestly don't know—you surprised all of us when _that's_ the job you took. You don't play at all anymore, though? Not even for fun?" The bartender slid Ian's pint over, and they clinked glasses—a tradition done out of obligation, Aeric noted.

"Uh... I mean I still work out pretty much every day. My complex even has a gym, so that's... something." Even if half the equipment was falling apart and completely lackluster, and Aeric still wasn't comfortable enough to run around the city early in the morning to avoid it.

"Mine, too!" Ian pointed out, taking another sip. "Dunno if you noticed, but you _kind of_ turned me into a bit of a gym junkie."

Aeric let out a small, uncomfortable laugh, taking a hair longer on his next swig—not enough to be a chug, which would so _easily_ give away how much he hated (loved?) this. "Yeah, uh... kind of hard not to notice." He'd have those biceps on his mind all night. Probably longer.

Ian let out a low hum, the conversation dying as he started to glance around the bar. Crap—crap! How were they supposed to act? Aeric at least had his sport to fall back on in the year of college they'd been broken up to at least _pretend_ they were still friends, and then fell into his new job. Maybe Aeric had been running with his tail between his legs for five years, refusing to admit that while Ian had only been growing more and more handsome and confident, he... just had his job. A great job, one he could see himself doing for the rest of his working life, but nevertheless, just a job. A hollow thing that only rewarded him monetarily, and in business trips all over the realms where he didn't have enough time to make connections.

"So... are you meeting someone here?" Aeric asked, finally breaking the silence. If he was... that'd be a good time to excuse himself—he couldn't handle seeing Ian with someone else, hence why they were still "friends" only in the social media sense, with Aeric muting every aspect of Ian's life.

"Well... I was," Ian admitted. "Just a work colleague, but you know how tired work makes you. But it's a Friday, and—I need a night out."

Work colleague could mean anything. It wasn't like Aeric didn't hook up with any of his, particularly the ones he knew he'd never see again once he left. "Sorry, what do you do now?" And there was his dead giveaway that he really hadn't kept up with Ian since they broke up. Any picture of him with anyone else, and... well, those tended to contribute to Aeric's worst regrets.

Ian chuckled, but Aeric knew him well enough to note that it was laced with a hint of uncomfortableness. "Fourth grade math teacher at NMES. And then after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays I teach some of the kids magic—but that's open to all grades. Turns out, there really aren't that many wizards out here—less so are ones who want to _teach_ magic, too."

Of _course_ , of course Ian was a teacher. One who taught the future, used everything he knew to make kids better and more prepared. He remembered Ian lamenting that more kids should learn how to use magic earlier so they weren't struggling to learn it on top of applying for college, getting jobs and all that. "Well, that's just so perfect for you," he laughed back, though he figured that might sound a hint... condescending. "No—I mean... honestly, I always saw you as a teacher and it just... fits. These kids are lucky to have you. And you live near here?"

"I mean, the school isn't _that_ far from where I'm living. I just wanted a change of pace from suburbia. That, and all those nights we spent out in college? I kind of fell in love with the city." Ian took another sip, feeling more comfortable. Probably also had to do with NMES being closer to to downtown than the suburbs near the ocean where they were from. "It's nice that all the public transportation is faster, and everything is open later..."

"A schoolteacher staying up past his bedtime?" Aeric joked. "Don't you have papers to grade? Lessons to plan?"

"Well, the lesson plans are a little more difficult than the papers, and the good thing is the kids are super amazing—hey, you wanna claim that table that's leaving over there and grab some food? The flatbread is _amazing_ here." Ian gestured to the troll and cyclops leaving the _one_ table that several people eyed.

"I'm on it." No one screwed with Aeric when they saw his arms the moment he claimed a table in a crowded place, and hopefully, despite the slight decline in muscle tone, it still applied to them after college. And, with Ian's new look, it might actually be easier. Quickly he strode over to the table and slid effortlessly into the troll's seat before a leering gnome could take it, leaving his pint at the bar so he wouldn't have to worry about spilling. Okay, so _maybe_ it was a flex to see if he still _could_ (to impress Ian).

Ian smirked as he carried both of their pints to their claimed table, sliding into the seat opposite. Well... it looked like it worked.

"I'm impressed." Ian slid Aeric's pint over to him before scanning the Happy Hour menu. "You've still got it, Aldheim. I still remember that time at Scratch when you bulldozed the entire basketball team to get us a table."

"Hey, they had a dozen griffin wings for 5 all night!" Aeric chuckled, looking back fondly on that memory. He remembered how scared Ian looked, thinking the whole team would have beaten him up for that stunt. "You were so hungry, and how was I gonna say no to that pouty face you always give when you want something?"

"What, this one?" Ian looked up at him with those huge, dark eyes. Though it looked different on his angular face, it still had the same effect, where Aeric was immediately tempted to do whatever he asked. "Gotta admit, it probably doesn't look as cute with the new... uh, everything."

"No, it..." What the hell was he supposed to say? That Ian was still just as gorgeous as when they broke up, just in a way that was completely different? What would happen if he _was_ obvious about still liking Ian? Was this a trap? "You still look great." Better than great. Aged like a fine wine, only getting better as the years showed off his maturity.

"Ah-hah, yeah..." Ian laughed again, made uncomfortable with the fact that he led the conversation there, likely unintentionally. At this point, they'd have to order another round to keep this going or just end it here. But they _did_ just get a table. Ian flagged down a waiter, just to help change the subject. "Hi, yes, I'd like another round of this Bad Elf IPA, and... Aer, what're you drinking again?"

"Uh..." Saying it out loud with Ian here would only serve to embarrass him. "Dragon Ate My Homework?"

Ian blinked at him briefly, before looking back up at the waiter with a smile. "Another one of those, and we're gonna split a griffin and pineapple flatbread. Thanks."

Once the waiter turned his back, Ian held his hand out. "Okay, now I _have_ to try a beer with that name. Damn, I didn't even see it on the menu."

"Uh... it's different," Aeric advised, sliding what little of his pint was left over to Ian. "And since when were _you_ into IPA? You always loved pale ales."

"Not since we..." Ian cleared his throat; clearly he was going to end that with a mention of their breakup. "Not since we left Willowdale. You know, that whole 'acquired taste' thing you don't realize is a thing until you turn twenty-two and beer all of a sudden starts to make more sense? That's what happened." He took a sip of Aeric's beer, but not after examining its unusual purple tint with a skeptical brow. "Whoa—you can _really_ taste the blackberry. And yet... it's _really_ good. Not really light at all."

"Right?" Aeric took his glass back with a smile and downed the rest. "Okay, your turn. How good is this IPA?"

"It's fine," Ian replied, scrunching his nose a bit before pushing his pint across the table. "Pretty good, very smooth."

Aeric took a sip, letting the flavors sink in so he could assess. Ten years ago, he drank just for the sake of it, for whatever gave him the courage to talk to someone. This was all more of the same, except now... he had better taste in beer. Not so much in the guys. "It's pretty subtle," he concluded. "You just got it 'cause it's cheap, didn't you?"

"Well, and the name," Ian admitted, taking back his glass with a shrug. "Not like I was ever a _bad_ elf, but..."

"Oh, I think I could name a time or two where that was the truest statement." If they were still dating, that would have been accented with a wink as a true form of flirtation, but for now... it was a subtle form of flirtation. He couldn't help it.

" _Stop_ , we're in public!" Ian reached over and tapped Aeric's shoulder lightly, those freckled cheeks flushing. So many of them had faded over the years, but a few still stubbornly stayed just under his eyes, lifting when his smile did. He sighed, looking behind him to the centaur backing right into him at the next table. "I'm... I'm sorry, but I'm getting a little uncomfortable sitting here, do you mind if I move next to you?"

"Not at all." Aeric looked over to see Ian's midsection crushed by the edge of their table. "Too bad you're not as small as before. You made the _perfect_ crowd weaver."

"Oh, hush, all the changes came from _you_ ," Ian retorted, moving his chair so they sat next to each other. "When we broke up, I... started running. And now I do that every morning. I didn't realize how much it clears your mind."

"A good workout works wonders, and I've been telling you that for _years_." Of course, leave it to the worst for Ian to go from his adorable self to... the gorgeous person next to him right now. "Although it sucks that I only get to run and work out maybe four times a week as opposed to the six in high school and college. Work is _hard_. I come home now and I'm too unmotivated to even cook."

"Tell me about it," Ian sighed, finishing his drink. "I love the kids, but making lesson plans, grading papers, coming up with fun ways to learn magic... takes its toll. Sometimes I just need a night out like this."

"I'm just here to relearn the city," since it _was_ part of his new job, "and so many things have changed, even in just five years." Ian certainly wasn't an exception. "A good drink can make a night a lot better."

"And good company?" Ian asked, raising a brow.

"I don't think I've had _good_ company in a really long time," Aeric confessed, and luckily, before Ian could ask him to elaborate, their refills and flatbread made it to the table. _But Ian was always good company_.

"Gods, I didn't realize I was hungry until now," said Ian, ripping off a little square for himself. "Meal prep is nice, but it's nice to go all out every once in a while."

"What, no more off-campus Burger Shire runs?" Aeric joked, grabbing a piece for himself. With its thin crust and light cheese, he could tell on first bite that he'd be ordering from here, probably more often than he'd ever admit. "Don't think I forgot how often we'd run off at one in the morning during one of those all nighter sessions studying for finals."

"Alas, Burger Shire no longer agrees with my stomach," Ian sighed, patting his flat midsection. Briefly Aeric wondered if he had abs, but that wasn't something you asked of your ex, much less in public. And then he wondered if he could handle Ian in a more fit state than him. Maybe it was a little off-putting, but he wore his new look so well. "Now it's quinoa and lean griffin in the teachers' lounge. Mom always said that food would catch up to me, but did it have to be right after my quarter life crisis?"

"How _is_ your mom, by the way?" Aeric asked politely, trying to change the subject so his mind would stop wandering to what he figured a shirtless Ian looked like. All he knew about Laurel was that she was still friends with Mom, but in whatever calls they shared, the Lightfoots never came up—Mom was the only one who could gauge how hard Aeric took the breakup (and, well, maybe he still hadn't fully processed it, even after almost six years).

"She's great." Ian nodded, putting a hand in front of his mouth so Aeric couldn't see him chewing as he answered. "She broke up with Colt, and, well, now she's with Corey. We all knew it was coming. They're really happy together, and I've gotta say, I am, too."

"Yeah, uh, my mom mentioned that. That was like, two years ago, right?" All he knew was that the divorce was amicable, and apparently they were all still friends. And that wine night and Sunday brunch got a _lot_ more interesting with Corey around.

"Gosh, right about." Nodding, Ian reached over to grab another slice. "Barley got his degree in Magical History, by the way," he added, figuring Aeric would ask about him next (he would have). "But now he's a tattoo artist. Still does Quests of Yore pretty much every week." Pulling out his phone, Ian scrolled through until he found a picture of Barley, standing proudly in front of his storefront, Inkers and Dragons. His beard and long hair boasted braids (essential warrior styles, Aeric remembered him saying), whole sleeves displayed proudly with his arms crossed, tattooed with every mythical creature, symbol, and object in existence.

"That's so surprisingly fitting for him. I'm glad he's doing well." Gods, even Barley was probably in a better place mentally than he was.

"Yeah, we're insanely proud of him. Of course, I only have the _one_ piece of ink." Ian washed down his current bite with his beer, and Aeric remembered the Phoenix Gem he got for his eighteenth, the way he squeezed Aeric's hand with this biting determination to get it done. "Which is probably good, in case any parents of my students want to _inquire_ about it."

"Oh, don't tell me there's some dumb dress code in place there." Aeric chomped down on the crust of his flatbread. "No one ever got on you for wearing some of your crazier styles at the end of high school."

"Oh, it's not that, I would just hate to explain it all and lose lesson time, not to mention they're pretty expensive—and painful depending where you get them," Ian dismissed, waving a hand. "One of the kindergarten teachers has sleeves—she had to spend a whole day explaining them to her kids, but I guess it ended up leading to this whole 'tattoo design' craft project. We all thought it was pretty funny when she brought it up in a staff meeting. But you know... they're Barley's thing, not really mine—even if they look great. Weirdest thing I do is that my kids never know how I'm gonna dress. Keeps 'em on their toes."

"Yeah, I wondered with the whole... glo-up," Aeric replied, taking Ian in again, from his broad shoulders to his goatee. "I bet you're taller than me in heels now."

"Probably." Ian chuckled, taking another swig. "I'd test that theory now, but, uh... I just have the sneakers, unfortunately. My apartment's close, but I wouldn't walk to and from there in pumps, no matter how much I love them."

That wasn't an invitation, Aeric told himself, just an offhand comment. "Tina really did a number on affecting your wardrobe. I used to thank her for that sometimes, you know."

"I still do, too! How is she, by the way? Do you still talk to her?"

"Um… not really," Aeric admitted, scratching the back of his neck. Sure, it'd been a few years since he let the rest of his hair grow to the same length, but sometimes he still wasn't used to so much _hair_ behind his ears. "I was in an entirely different realm when she got married, but Mom told me it was pretty nice. I think she's gonna have her first kid, but… I'm not really on much social media anymore unless I have to be." Whatever it took to avoid Ian on his feed. "But maybe I should catch up with her, now that I'll be back in town for a while. I'm sure she'll like that."

"Yeah, I bet that must be pretty hard—traveling all over the realms just for work… But I'm sure you've dated so many amazing guys." Ian sighed, inclining forward a bit.

Aeric knew this part of the night was coming up, where he'd have to pretend like everything in his dating life was fine. After shooting Ian a shy smile, he took a huge swig of his beer. "I mean… no _relationships_ to speak of, but you meet people here and there," he said as plainly as possible. It wasn't like he could confess that every guy he'd met, and worse, hooked up with, had _something_ about them that reminded him of Ian, but how could it be what they'd had, the electric chemistry felt right off the bat, the urgency Aeric had felt shouting at him to make his move before someone else inevitably did?

"Come on… _no_ stories?" Ian pressed, making it worse. "No hot guys up north who are all gorgeous and built like you, or someone hitting on you by trying to buy you a drink… _nothing_ you wanna tell me?"

What, like the centaur Aeric hooked up with _just_ because his name was "Ian," so he had something to say in bed? That stint with Athena's brother before he was even out of New Mushroomton thinking that was a good rebound? Or the guy just finishing up college that had _something_ about the texture of his curls, so Aeric could thread his fingers through them? Or that troll, where in the dark his brown eyes could _almost_ be mistaken for his ex's? Or that, when he was alone, all he could think about was the past? "My life really isn't as exciting as you're trying to make it out to be," he dismissed, taking another swig and realizing he was almost done with his second pint. "Mostly I'm just too exhausted from work to do any sightseeing." And maybe that little white lie could get them off this subject.

"I guess maybe I'm a _little_ jealous," Ian admitted, sighing. "Jetsetting all over the realms definitely crossed my mind senior year of high school. You know, before the whole…"

"Right, evil cult leader killing off all your magical friends debacle," Aeric replied. Nine years just seemed like a lifetime ago. He could hardly even remember that night, other than a big bonk to the head he had to ice for weeks afterward.

No, the night he constantly replayed in his head was the night they broke up. Because right now, looking into those welcoming, dark eyes, he still couldn't understand why he'd ever take so much time away from someone so perfect. All the mornings spent practicing, working out with the team when Ian needed him… Ian had called it them "naturally drifting apart," but they'd always managed halfway through college. If only Aeric could go back and just… shake his twenty-year-old self for putting so much time into a team, a career path he wouldn't even pursue once the engineering job came up.

"Ian, really, it's not as fun if it's just you," he confessed, but gods, he hoped Ian didn't ask why this was still a problem six years after they broke up. Aeric could get over it… eventually. Someday. Maybe this was to help him get through it. "Enough about my boring, jetsetting life. I'm _just_ here because my boss knows I grew up around here, so that apparently makes me most eligible to negotiate with people about our upcoming project."

"Okay, now you _have_ to elaborate," Ian chuckled, patting his arm. Oh, those little touches that drove him crazy… he'd been grazed countless times over the years, but the second Ian did it, sent that shock down his spine he hadn't felt since they were together. "Can you tell me what this project is?" And, worse, he leaned in—a completely flirtatious move. Ian wasn't just toying with him, was he? And since when did _Ian Lightfoot_ make moves? It'd always been the other way around! But with the way he looked… of _course_ confidence came easy now. People were probably falling all over his feet just for a chance to talk to him. Ian's voice lowered, to a deep tone he _never_ used in public. "Or if you told me, would you have to kill me?"

Aeric shifted in his seat, taking a moment to lick his lips before answering. "No, it's no secret," he assured. "The plan is to make New Mushroomton one of the _first_ cities in the United Realms to be entirely solar powered. It's just the perfect candidate with the great weather, its position to the ocean… renewable energy is the future, after all. It's what I've _been_ doing all over the place, but only with smaller up-and-coming towns. New Mushroomton is gonna be the _big_ one for the company."

"That's insanely exciting," Ian replied, clearly impressed with how his brows raised. "I always wondered why you took that job instead of going pro, but… now I totally get it. You've been all over the place, and I've been… here."

"That's _not_ a bad thing," Aeric assured. "You're probably doing insanely well. Heck, I bet your partner is probably insanely proud of you for teaching the youth of our city."

"I'm actually single right now," Ian chuckled, finally confessing. Oh, Shantar's Talon. Both he and Ian, single _just_ as Aeric moved back to New Mushroomton? It took everything in his willpower to not proclaim his undying affection right this second. "Yeah, I… you know, dated a few people here and there, a few serious relationships…"

"Sadalia," Aeric murmured under his breath. They'd always looked so perfect together in high school. His final nail in the coffin that kept him all but unfollowing Ian online. "Mom told me when it happened, by the way."

"Right, she… works for Della now," Ian replied with a blush, hiding it behind another sip of beer. Sadalia did exactly what she wanted, finishing college magna cum laude and an immediate job writing for the _New Mushroomton Times_ under Mom's watch as she edited the most important sections of the paper, both online and in print. And of course, she only grew into her beauty, highlighting her almond brown eyes with glasses, curls naturally falling around her cheeks. "Two years. The moving in phase last year is where we pretty much fell apart, but we were happy for a while. I guess we're just better off as friends, but we had a great time together."

He was gonna move in with her. He probably loved her, at one point, the way they used to love. Even Aeric had no idea, much as Mom tried to break the news to him. Even worse, how could she not tell him they'd broken up before moving back? Did she think he would have come running back, begging for Ian to give him another chance?

Actually, he didn't want the answer to that one. Because now here that moment was, staring him in the face. Both he and Ian, single as he moved back to New Mushroomton. His boss asked if after this project was done, if he wanted to find something else to do here, that would keep him grounded. Maybe this was it.

Did he actually have a chance? Was this the universe telling him that he might be able to start over with Ian and do things right? Or did Ian just want to move on after every stupid thing Aeric had done to ruin them in the past?

"Ian I… _know_ I was dumb enough to let my scholarship and sports get in the way of what we had. And I know you had every right to not wanna stick around because life was just starting for you, too. But do you feel, in _this_ moment, that we're supposed to make things right?" Aeric asked, his heart pounding.

"Aeric…" Ian started, his brows furrowing. "You're not drunk, are you?"

"This is my second pint," Aeric uttered. "You _know_ me well enough to know I'm not."

"I just…" Gods, Aeric had to prepare himself for the blow. "Sometimes I go back to that night, and I _really_ do think we were drifting apart. I mean, we broke up really cleanly—no jealous texts, no fighting or anything. You had sports and I tried to focus more on school. It just seemed like a natural end then."

 _Then_. Aeric let that word repeat in his head a few times. "What about now?" he asked. "Six years after the fact?"

"Aeric, you _just_ moved back to New Mushroomton. But seeing you, right here… I dunno, I just started falling back into that flirting pattern. Like you were some _claim_ I had to stake because I know someone else would see how gorgeous you are now with your turtleneck and new haircut and glasses, and I…" He sighed, slumping back in his seat. "It's just all coming back. Everything. You were my first love, and seeing you now is scary as hell. Especially since I'm not entirely the guy you knew in high school and college."

Wasn't that a good thing? Aeric reached over to take one of his hands, his own shaking. "No, you're… more than that. You think I won't like you 'cause you're not the skinny kid you used to be, but now you're even _more_ gorgeous, if that's even possible." Ian offered a shy smile, and only squeezed his hand in return. Was this really happening? "I was never just attracted to you because of your looks—it's because you're just an amazing, wonderfully smart person.

"I searched the realms over and over trying to replicate what we had with guys that could never hold a candle to your fire," he said, finally coming clean (in the vaguest way possible) about how messed up his love life really was. "And now I know it's really because… I don't think I ever stopped loving you."

"Aeric…" Ian said lowly, leaning in. "Is this really happening?"

"What, us just about to kiss?" Oh, was Aeric _well aware_ of just how close they'd gotten in the past few moments, how they went from a friendly hug to this just after a night of catching up. "I mean, I wouldn't mind it happening." Understatement of the century. "You?"

"I'm scared," Ian uttered, low enough to where Aeric could hear it despite the low hum of a million conversations happening around them. His hand shook, wrapping tighter around his own. "I'm scared that it'll mean we were never supposed to break up."

"Maybe we still were," Aeric said, the first time he tried to take all this as something that was meant to happen. If they didn't break up, then Aeric wouldn't have his amazing job at SolarTech. It meant Ian might not have become a teacher. Honestly, he'd never know what would have happened if they tried to still make things work in college, if he'd still be an engineer or if he went pro. But here they were now, at this crossroads together. When he leaned in, so did Ian.

It'd been six years since they last kissed, but the years melted off like they'd never happened. There was the added little tickle coming from Ian's goatee, but the sweetness was still there, the sincerity and all the feelings they just couldn't express into words. It wasn't their first kiss, where Ian had to learn how to tilt his head to meet properly. Now Ian took initiative in the kiss, his free hand cupping Aeric's jaw gently with the reminiscing taste of Bad Elf IPA on his lips.

Ian bit his lip as he pulled away, his shoulders tense. "We're really gonna do this, aren't we?" he asked, chuckling.

"Well, gods, I missed _this_ ," Aeric replied, reaching over to down the rest of his beer. "You wanna get out of here?"

Immediately Ian nodded, taking his hand from Aeric's just so he could finish his beer, too. "Gods, yes. Let's take the rest of this flatbread home and close out the tab. Your place or mine?"

"Yours," Aeric answered right off the bat. "My place is a shithole and I've barely started unpacking."

"You got it." The pace this was all going, this flurry of emotions rushing through his belly had Aeric's heart racing, and he could barely process his shaking fingers closing off his tab, putting the flatbread in a box as he and Ian got up together, clasping hands as they surrendered their table to a gnome couple that just arrived. But he registered Ian's shy smile, the shaky, almost _teenage_ way they giggled down the street, floating past blocks that Aeric tried to relearn. He was so engrossed in Ian, however, that it was all just a blur, from running down concrete blocks, to the relatively decent apartment complex even closer to the bar than Aeric's place was. The only thing he remembered was the hot kiss in the elevator once the doors closed and Ian quickly pressed the button for the eleventh floor, realizing this was the first time Ian could _actually_ pick him up without the aid of magic.

And it was still a flash as they made it to apartment 113, Aeric chuckling as Ian's shaky fingers fumbled with the keys. A standard, neat one bedroom apartment. He'd take the time to look through it later. For now, after putting the flatbread in the stainless steel fridge, Ian pushed him onto the comfortable, navy sheets, and it didn't matter whether this was their college dorm, or his room way back in the day.

When Ian leaned in and kissed him, Aeric was home.

* * *

"Remember when we tried that one move back in college and almost broke your bed?" Aeric chuckled, reminiscing as he nuzzled himself more into the crook of Ian's neck. Hazy sunlight peeked in through the blinds, and it was far later than either of them wanted to admit as they woke up together. But given how much time they spent "catching up," that was understandable. Aeric traced his fingers down Ian's arms, fascinated by the bumps of bicep and tricep muscles that hadn't been there before they broke up, getting to know Ian again through touch, since his eyesight had only gotten worse over the years.

"Oh, my gods, I think I almost had a hernia!" Ian started to laugh, playfully slapping Aeric's chest. "To be fair, it was still our freshman year. We were still getting used to everything. _This_ bed, on the other hand... I mean, I invested in only two great things: a good desk, and a good mattress. Both of which I use pretty extensively."

"Trust me, it's way better than what I have." Aeric yawned, lazily draping his right leg over Ian's to cuddle closer. "It's always such a quick move whenever I get sent to another city, that I guess I'm just used to living so minimalist now."

"Well... you mentioned something about your apartment being a shithole. Guess we made the right choice, coming here." Ian's fingers traced lazily down his abdomen. A whole night together, and yet it was like learning each other all over again—Ian in particular. Aeric might have slimmed down a bit, losing some muscle, and with Ian gaining, it's like they met somewhere in the middle now. Once his fingers got to Aeric's right hip, Ian sat up a bit, looking down. "You still have it."

"Hm?" Aeric followed Ian's gaze, to the three rune letters he'd had permanently etched into his skin. He must have missed it earlier, when they were still in the dark. Well, obviously when Ian got his Phoenix Gem tattoo, he had to get something, as well. And, as the naïve, fresh-faced college starter he'd been at eighteen... he'd gotten Ian's name tattooed in rune with this idea that they'd be together forever.

And no other guy he'd hooked up with had been able to read it, anyway, so he was able to get away with having such a cheesy tattoo for years.

"I couldn't get rid of it," Aeric admitted lowly. Sure, one drunken night after a relatively bad hookup from a rival player had him considering removal, but... the pain from getting it removed probably wouldn't be as bad as how awful he'd feel if it _wasn't_ there, almost like a twisted security blanket. "Maybe one day I just hoped..."

Ian leaned in and kissed him, shutting him up. "We're in way better places now than when we broke up," he said. "I'm not just saying this because the sex was nothing short of amazing—"

"Nice to know we haven't lost our stride," Aeric joked, interrupting him briefly with a smile. "But yeah, go on."

"— _but_ , I've been thinking about it. And... I'd really love to give us another chance. See how it'd work now that we're adults who file taxes and have our own health insurance plans."

"And _no_ sports whatsoever to keep me preoccupied from you. We both work 9-5s, Monday to Friday. And time to actually work out together and cook together..." Aeric sighed, content. "I think... maybe this might all work out for the best. You know I'm in it completely."

"Speaking of 'working out'..." Ian smirked, his hand grasping Aeric's hip since it was already down there. "I wouldn't mind going for a... what round were we on again?"

"Honestly, I lost count." Aeric shook his head, laughing. "But it's the weekend, and I wanna spend every second of it getting to know you again." He pecked Ian's lips, realizing that he hadn't been able to stop smiling since that first kiss at the bar last night.

"I do, too, Aer," Ian sighed, leaning in for a deeper kiss.

As he wrapped his arms around Ian's neck, pulling their bodies flush, Aeric promised himself he wouldn't let this go ever again.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ian and Aeric's rekindled relationship is going full steam ahead--and Ian isn't prepared for what comes next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, a little later than I wanted (with unfortunately a little less than I wanted to include), but to have this chapter come out on Valentine's Day when you see what's in here? So worth it to wait another week.
> 
> Also more song lyrics because what is originality.

_**I Miss You More Than You Know** _

**Part Two**

" _Bang, bang—think I'm allergic to every other person_

_You're the one, now, I'm certain, yeah_

_We belong together_

_We belong together, and you know it."_

—" **We Belong" Dove Cameron**

Within a month, they moved in together.

Ian tried to at least convince Aeric to not give up his apartment, but that ended up being half-assed once Aeric disclosed SolarTech was paying for him to be out here, anyway. Now, if he wanted to stick around after their current project, that's when he'd be on his own. But Ian couldn't exactly argue. They'd kind of "lived together" their first few years of college, Aeric pretty much spending all his time in Ian's single back during freshman year when he avoided his roommate, but this wasn't just a few nights a week studying. This was where Ian fell apart with Sadalia.

She didn't like the idea of adopting a dragon anywhere down the line (and had so rarely gave any indication that she didn't want to take care of one, after bonding well with Blazey), and whenever Ian tried to organize all of her strewn papers for articles and all her potions and lotions in the bathroom with magic, she assured him that the mess was "her organized mess," where despite the clutter, she knew where everything was. The arguments escalated until, well, it became the only part of their lives.

Honestly, Ian thought he might have that problem with Aeric, who used to have a tendency of leaving textbooks open to arbitrary pages and his phone and laptop constantly unplugged at low battery in college, but with most of his work being done in the office and his years moving all over the realms, Ian was genuinely surprised to see him show up at his door with only a couple suitcases. That minimalist living really did a number on him.

"That's all you brought?" Ian asked, genuinely curious as Aeric took up way less than half of the closet.

"Clothes, toiletries, my laptop, a few dumbbells... that's really all I need," Aeric replied with a shrug. For someone so large, he took up such little space.

And now that Ian had also fallen into the extraordinarily good habit of working out, they both seemed to fall right into sync, even better than before. Ian knew Aeric got up pretty early for his morning run; now, they both woke up at six and ran around the city with each other. While Ian showered afterward, Aeric made breakfast for both of them, and then they'd switch right off before carpooling to work. Ian dropped off Aeric at SolarTech, then made his way to NMES.

A seamless, easy transition. Ian had to wait to see if they even had this stride (and that it wasn't just for the sex) in getting back together before telling anyone else. But a few weeks into dating again, and there was just this comfort about Aeric, still laced in the few new things he was still learning. Aeric was a way better cook now, for example, after learning about all these cultures, and how much he'd had to fend for himself now that he moved pretty much completely out from his parents' lives. And now that Ian actually _liked_ exercising, they pushed each other to do well, by running further, lifting more. A friendly competition that always ended with sweat and smiles.

And, well, Ian kind of missed being used as exercise equipment. Knowing that Aeric could still lift him well over his head brought him right back to brought him right back to this balance in their relationship (and it was hot to know he could _still_ do it, even after bulking up as much as he did).

Once it became clear just _how_ easy they both transitioned back into a relationship, he came clean about it to his family (now including Corey).

"You don't look surprised," said Ian lowly, a little disappointed.

Mom shrugged, leaning into Corey's arm around her shoulders. "Della might have mentioned something during our last Girls' Night Out," she confessed. "Just that you both met back up, so we all kind of assumed..."

"Are we that predictable?" Ian groaned, rubbing his hand over his face.

"Nonsense!" Barley piped up. "I always thought your breakup seemed a little... unsettling. But a few years can make all the difference, right?"

"Yeah, we've grown a lot since then," he pointed out, stroking his goatee for a moment. "We're just in a much better place than before. I think this was just what we needed, honestly. And maybe it seems like we're moving fast, but maybe it's just making up for lost time."

"Sweetie, do you love him?" asked Corey, reaching out a paw to take Ian's hand.

"Of course I do." Was that even a question? The moment they kissed again, he couldn't imagine looking back. "I always have."

"Well, you know I love the kid. And if that means even _more_ nights out with Della, then I am all in!"

"Corey!" Mom chided playfully, pushing her shoulder just to tease. "Really, Ian, if you both think you can make this work again, and it is... we're more than happy for you. And at least we're already past the awkward first family meet."

In bed later, Ian graded papers, occasionally pushing his rectangle reading glasses up his nose, one of his usual weekend nighttime routines. As Aeric slipped in next to him, he did a double take before taking off his Wayfarers.

"Excuse me, _when_ did you get glasses?" he asked, in a playfully accusatory tone.

"Shut up; they're just for grading," Ian uttered, not looking up from the worksheets, occasionally taking notes on some of the step by step processes his students made that got them to their answers. "My family's happy for us, by the way."

"Might have spilled the beans to Mom the last time we met up," Aeric confessed. "Gods, it's been so long since I've _actually_ seen her."

Honestly, Aeric without his mom, for almost five years, had Ian wondering just how they both coped for so long after being nearly inseparable most of his life. "I think I've seen her in person more than you have recently, and that's just wrong."

"Yeah, well. I had to fly the coop at some point." Aeric picked up his phone, just scrolling aimlessly through news, replying to a couple of e-mails. "But the second we met up, I think she knew about us."

"Nice to know Della's still the _exact_ same." Ian couldn't help his smile. "But I think it's nice—being together again. Don't you?"

"It's even better than before," Aeric replied, setting his phone down with a sigh. "I still wake up and pinch myself just to make sure it's not a dream."

"And nice to know that _you're_ still as cheesy as ever." Ian set his work aside, so he could properly reach over and stroke Aeric's jaw. How did it get more defined over the years? But Ian had to admit, some days felt almost surreal, to be with _Aeric_. He used to just be at the back of his mind, with Ian wondering every once in a while if he still worked out, or if he still jiggled his leg when he sat down, if he still wore his hair in a bun. And now... he knew the answers to all of those things. "But I agree. We're so much better now." Maybe this time apart, to grow without each other, just set them up for them reuniting one day, Ian as a wizard in control, and Aeric with only one major focus in his life.

"Is it weird that I think you're really hot in those glasses?" Aeric asked, changing the subject back.

"Oh?" Ian raised a knowing brow, leaning in. "No, not at all. Wanna call it a late night?"

Looking over at their shared alarm clock, Aeric shrugged. "Working out now means more time to sleep in, right?"

Gods, it was like they were in college all over again.

* * *

"Hey, Ian?"

Weeks passed like minutes, in this post-reconciliation bliss. The rhythm kept at this wonderful pace, too fast for his liking to savor every little moment, but too wonderful for him to care very much in the context of forever. Aeric just took a day off to meet his students, getting to know them so he knew _exactly_ who he was talking about if any complaints came in. All of them took to Aeric immediately, laughing when he tried to squeeze himself into a too-small desk to listen to his lecture on calculating the circumference of a circle.

Hell, they even decided to adopt a dragon together, a cuddly, calm, purple and orange dragon they lovingly named "Figment."

Ian groaned, looking over at the alarm clock, it's too-bright blue numbers reading 6:04 AM. "Babe, it's Sunday. Too early. Figment's not even hopping into bed with us." Sighing, he flipped over. They usually slept in this day of the week, so close to the worst day starting all over again.

"Can't sleep," Aeric murmured.

"Hm—that's your problem," Ian replied into his pillow, closing his eyes.

Just as he was about to doze off again, he heard Aeric speak up once more. "Ian, will you marry me?"

For a moment, Ian ignored it, not letting it compute.

And then, he shot right up. _Wait_ —

Aeric, however, rolled right over like he _didn't_ just say that, the tease! "Did you just ask me to _marry_ you?" Ian shook his shoulder. At the foot of their bed, Figment stayed asleep on his little pillow, curled up nicely.

"Hm..." Aeric uttered like the cheeky bastard he was, not stirring.

"Because," he continued, "if you did... my answer is yes."

Before he knew it, Aeric yanked him by the arm back into bed so they were flush. "Really?" Those gorgeous, violet eyes were always so earnest. "You want to marry _me_?"

In that moment, Ian realized if it had been anyone else, he probably wouldn't be so sure, or so quick with his answer. There had been no hesitation despite the early hour. His hands went to Aeric's face, cupping his cheeks lightly. "I know we just got back together, but I'm so sure about this. About us." They'd only gotten back together perhaps... three months ago? Sooner? He didn't care; without rings, _they_ didn't feel right.

Aeric pulled Ian in for a kiss, his eyes welling with happy tears as he pulled away. "I love you," he said.

"I love you, too." Ian nodded, snuggling himself in the crook of his fiancé's (!) neck. "That was the _perfect_ proposal." Small, intimate, and only for their own witnessing.

But he sighed, looking back at the clock. "Of course, it's still _insanely_ early. Now that we're _engaged_ , the first thing we should do is go back to bed."

"I'd love that," Aeric sighed back, snuggling more into Ian. "And yet, now I'm too excited to sleep! You're my fiancé!"

Obviously, the word would start to sink in once they were up and Ian had some caffeine in him. But he closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around Aeric's waist with the intent of never letting go again. "Then I'll sleep and you—as my _fiancé_ —can start making wedding plans and how we're gonna tell our families."

Aeric took on the excitement, while Ian quickly fell back asleep, completely content.

That was, until Figment hopped up into bed between them as their cue to get up and take him for a walk.

* * *

If the weeks leading up to Aeric's proposal went quickly, the engagement seemed to last only mere seconds. Ian started off by making lists upon lists of _everything_ needed, from caterers to guest lists, and, worst of all, _how_ to divide them.

"Babe, we barely know _where_ we're going to hold everything!" Ian pointed out, slaving over both a lesson plan _and_ a list of potential invitation designs he and Aeric had to finalize. Hell, they still didn't have _rings_ yet; right now it was just a promise. Figment laid his head on his lap, sensing his unease, and Ian could only pet him passively.

"You still haven't talked to Corey about using the Tavern for the reception?" Aeric asked, leaning over Ian so he could help.

" _Oh_." Ian buried his face in his hands, rubbing over it for a moment. "Gods, I didn't even think of that. It's just too perfect." It was the first place he performed a spell successfully, where they had their very first date. Not to mention the fact that it'd be the _cheapest_ place to hold the reception, given the owner was, well, _dating his mother_.

"It's okay, babe." Aeric kissed Ian's temple, before reaching down to give Figment some attention. "You need to take a step back and stop doing four things at once. We can take our time here, I think, just to get it right."

Sighing, Ian pushed the samples aside. "I'm just... sad we're not married yet. I wanna be your husband already."

"I get it—I wanna be married, but I also want a _perfect_ wedding for all of our family. But we'll get it done."

"We'd better." Because in the end, he knew this would all be worth it just to get to that _one_ glorious day.

* * *

The ceremony: the outlook near the New Mushroomton Observatory, where they'd frequented since high school to practice magic and hang out without any interference, headed by the one and only Manticore officiating their marriage.

The reception: lovingly donated by Corey at the Tavern, redecorating already as a more lavish venue.

The color scheme: playful baby pink and sea foam green, an homage to Laurel and Della.

The food: catered by Remy's Creations, as a favor to Laurel.

The cake: colorful, with three tiers of different flavors (rum infused chocolate, buttercream, and Black Forest), because they really couldn't decide on _one_ , and they wanted the guests to have variety.

The rings: never leaving their fingers, with their simple black leaf and blue stone designs. The wedding bands were a simple gold, going to be delivered down the aisle by Figment. The flower petals would be attached to Blazey, and it'd make the ceremony super cute.

The guest list: insanely intimate, with only the most important people in their lives attending.

Their surnames: Lightfoot-Aldheim. Aeric wanted to put his ironic initials behind him for good, and honestly—what a nice ring it had! (And already Ian started practicing his signature on official documents, even if he would keep it the same for his kids.)

The photographer: a hot shot up and comer cyclops that worked with Della (and now Ian could start calling her "Mom," too!)

The outfits: Ian had no clue.

Should he go dress or suit? Veil or not? Magic or not? And it wasn't like he could go to Aeric for suggestions, because he wanted to see their outfits for the first time at the altar.

At this point, there was only one person to ask.

"Mom, you helped me out with Prom." He sighed, walking into his old room, which Mom had tastefully turned into her new office and workout zone. "You'll help me with my wedding, right?"

"Of course, sweetie," Mom assured, rubbing Ian's arm assuredly. "What are you looking for? A suit, a dress?"

"I honestly don't know," he admitted, sighing. "I don't even know where to start." This wasn't just Prom King. This wasn't just going in their yearbook. This was going all over where they lived, and would be with them for the rest of their lives. "But I know Aeric is probably gonna be in tears no matter what I wear. Still, it means so much just to have it."

"No inspiration, huh? We'll figure it out," she promised.

She was already doing so much with organizing the reception and putting together pictures with Della, and here Ian was, asking her to do one more thing.

But Ian started to sift through pictures and pictures of tuxes, suits, and dresses suited for elves. Still, he wasn't built like he was in high school. Sure, he still wore his dresses and heels when he felt like it, but they were usually longer now—longer sleeves, longer hemlines. How was that going to translate to "wedding"?

Mom also took him out to different bridal stores, Corey and Della in tow given the only "wedding party" would be... Barley as Ian's Best Man. And Barley had never really been into fashion, so Ian just had to take what he could get.

Hard to pick anything out, when Della's only comment was, "Oh, this is gonna make my son cry!" And... not everything looked great. Sweetheart necklines, for example.

"I need something a little higher cut," Ian commented, pulling up a tube top dress with no avail as he checked himself out in the mirrors surrounding him. "I feel like my tattoo peeking out is gonna look awful in pictures."

"Well, perhaps not ' _awful_ ,'" Mom replied. "But I see your point."

But it was like that with dress after dress. Some looked good, and then he'd balk at the price, and the others always had _something_ off about them—too high cut, too asymmetrical, too matronly. He didn't even know when he decided on a dress instead of a suit, but... well, it just seemed right, didn't it? Aeric had been the first to really compliment him once he saw him in an old cheerleading outfit, always encouraged him to express himself perfectly.

Briefly Ian flashed back to Sadalia's complete surprise to just _how many_ heels and dresses he owned. She never outright _stated_ it, but he could tell... she was never comfortable with _seeing_ the abundance of his feminine outfits in the closet. If they ended up together still... he'd probably be wearing a suit for this day. And that just wasn't right.

But neither were these dresses.

"I actually have an idea," Ian piped up as they walked out of their final bridal shop, at least securing dresses for Mom and Della, and a very tasteful pantsuit for Corey. "It's gonna take some ingenuity on my part, and consent on yours, of course."

"Oh, I know what you have in mind," said Della, holding onto Corey as she was loaded back in the car. Ian levitated her tank into the trunk, glad to use his staffless magic on the fly. "I'm definitely onboard, if you _promise_ to give it back."

"Wait, what?" asked Mom, confused. "What do you need from us?"

Ian buckled up in the backseat next to Della, as Mom and Corey sat next to each other up front. "I, uh... was wondering if I could magic together both of your dresses into something for myself?" he asked, knowing it was a little risky too ask if he could use his mom and future mother-in-law for their previous wedding dresses to put together for his own, but right now, it was all he thought could work. "I promise, if you want them back for keepsakes, I'll reverse the spell the _second_ the wedding is over. I know how much they mean to you."

"Well..." Mom sighed, looking to Corey for a moment before looking in the rear view mirror back at Ian. "If Della thinks it's okay, and I'm not using it again anytime soon... then I don't see why not. I think it's a great idea."

"'Not using it again anytime soon'?" Corey scoffed playfully. Her seat was so far back that Ian's knees touched the back of it, and could feel whenever she moved. "These two barely got back together and they're already getting married, and then for _us_?"

" _You're_ the one who said the commitment was good enough for you and didn't want to make a big deal about our relationship!" Laurel laughed back, nudging Corey lightly when they reached a stoplight. "But hey, if you wanna do the whole ceremony..."

"Yeah, well..." That made Corey shut up really quick, thinking about all the planning Ian was doing for his and Aeric's. "I might still think that way..."

"Corey, I would get a new dress for that, not use some outdated thing," Laurel pointed out. "No offense, Ian, but you _know_ you have your work cut out for you."

"Mine's a little more stylish since I got married a little later," Della said with a wink. " _And_ Aeric helped me pick it out."

"He's been using your wedding as kind of a base for ours," Ian admitted. "Just in terms of trying to get ourselves organized."

"Yeah, well, a mom's life is also about prepping her kids for when they have their own weddings. Stressful as it is, trust me when I say your mom and I are having the time of our lives figuring this out with the two of you."

"Helps when we all know each other very well, huh?" Ian chuckled. "Thank you for letting me do this, by the way."

"Whatever makes your day all the more special." Della reached over and pinched his cheek, a sign of affection she really only used on Aeric. "We're here to help."

"It's the joining of our families!" Laurel piped up. "All the stress is gonna be worth it, you'll see."

He sure hoped so—how did people make it seem so easy?

* * *

Mom's dress had a deep cut V neck and a flouncy skirt; Della had a wrap tube top and mermaid skirt, with what looked like layers upon layers of tulle to emulate her tail silhouette. This could work—Ian loved the top half of his mom's dress, and the bottom half of Della's, and he stared at both in this old room, pursing his lips as he shuffled his staff in between his hands. The only thing about his dress was having to give it back to his mom(s), but he'd have the pictures. He'd always remember this magic. And to have part of them with him as he married the person he loved was _so special_.

Which meant the dress had to be perfect.

Ian transformed the dresses into that deep V with the mermaid skirt, but given he wasn't built as svelte as Della (maybe when he was in high school), his silhouette wasn't nearly as nice. He liked the fullness of Mom's skirt, but maybe he could do something with the ruffles of Della's tulle—

Yes. _This_ was it. Pair it off with a pair of sparkly heels (and that foot numbing spell that kept his feet comfortable), and he'd be perfect. But... something seemed a little off about it; he couldn't put his finger on _why_.

"How're we doing in here?" Mom asked, knocking on the door. "Oh..." She held something dark in her hands, but Ian couldn't tell what it was with how she teared up. "Ian, I know I saw you at Prom so long ago, but... your _wedding_..."

"Oh, Mom..." Ian sniffed, holding in his tears. "Thanks for letting me do this. What do you think?"  
"You're beautiful, baby," Mom assured, patting his cheek. "Aeric's gonna see the influence right away."

"I think it's missing something, though, don't you?" he asked, turning in the mirror.

"Well, for Prom I leant you opera gloves, but I think for your wedding..." She held up the fabric; it was a jacket. And Ian figured he knew where this was going. "I found your dad's jacket."

"From your wedding?" Ian held it up; now that he was older, he _really_ fit into it now, and didn't have to alter an old suit like for Spring Fling (gods, was that really ten years ago?) Slipping it on, he _knew_ it was the one thing he needed.

"Of course. You know he would have given anything to be here." Mom pat his arm, almost lovingly feeling the old fabric like Dad was still in it.

"Should have saved the Visitation Spell for the wedding, huh?" Ian half joked with a smile. But he didn't regret his sixteenth birthday for a moment. If anything, he needed to have another conversation with Barley that wasn't _just_ about him being the Best Man.

Well, this was his wedding outfit. And now he couldn't wait to wear it, and dance with Aeric, and take pictures...

"I'm gonna have to leave this here, if that's okay," Ian sighed. "If I take it home, I'll have to hide it from Aeric, and you _know_ that's gonna be difficult."

"That's more than fine," said Mom with a nod. "Well... thank the gods for your magic, or we'll have _way_ more to do."

"Trust me..." Exhaling, Ian shrugged out of the jacket. "I'm coming up with spells _just_ for this wedding."

* * *

Barley insisted on a bachelor party, but honestly, Ian and Aeric were content to just spend another evening together out on the town, which ended up turning into a great Quests of Yore campaign with some of Barley's friends. Ian offered him a plus one to the wedding, but caved on a plus two, only because he knew his brother could never pick just one favorite lover.

Whenever Ian gave his kids a quiz or test in these past few weeks, too, he tried to spend the quiet time writing his vows, trying to think of the _perfect_ things to write about Aeric, about their hopes and dreams for the future. Even his magic classes started to revolve around the spells for the wedding, just so he had a place to practice them, such as levitating and moving multiple objects at once and tying ribbons on the backs of chairs. The kids were... well, perplexed, but they didn't question him very much—no one really did once they saw the ring on his finger.

"How is it we're already getting married?" Ian sighed in bed, turning to face Aeric. "The weeks just passed like minutes."

"Well, we've kept busy. You're gonna love all the kid pictures our moms put together, and I'm actually pretty proud of my vows."

"Gods, we're gonna cry, aren't we?" He ran a hand over his face, sighing again. "It's gonna be so emotional."

"Like babies," Aeric replied with a smile. "I got my new job lined up with the company so I can stay here, and I just remembered how much I cried at my parents' wedding. But it'll be so worth it just for... everything."

"I'm ready," he decided, nodding. "I just wanna enjoy all the hard work and how quickly this all went."

"Babe, if you think I was moving too fast..."

Ian shut him up with a kiss. "We both moved fast because we know deep down that this probably should have happened sooner. We have our scale baby, we've moved in together, and I don't regret a moment of it."

"Okay... okay." Aeric nodded, back, cuddling in. "I think I needed to hear that. I honestly can't wait to enjoy everything we put into this wedding."

"Gods, same." Ian gave a little chuckle, closing his eyes. "Let's just hope it's not over in a flash."

Well, at least they'd have a surplus of pictures to remember it.

* * *

They had breakfast and coffee together the morning of, often commenting on this being their "last meal" before they were married (and will probably do the same with firsts once everything was official, of course). And then their families whisked them both off to get prepared, vowing to meet right at one at the lookout. Ian's hands shook as he slipped into his outfit and shoes, reading and rereading his vows on index cards. No veil, he decided, just thinking the slight train from Mom's full skirt would be more than enough. He placed the small, fresh nepeta flower in his pocket for a bit of color, also not opting for a bouquet, either, thinking the flower arrangements for the reception would be sufficient for their guests.

"How's the big groom?" Barley asked, walking in. He braided his long hair and beard back, his suit covering up his tattoo sleeves (though Ian would be more than fine with them showing). At the sight of his younger brother, he smiled proudly. "Wow, Ian. You're gonna knock his socks off."

"You really think so?" Ian asked nervously, lifting the skirt a bit so he could walk around easier. There was still one thing he wanted to ask his brother, something he didn't think of until very recently. "Uh, Barley? You think you can help me with something else?"

"'Course," Barley said lowly, knowing he had to be a little _less_ of himself—at least until the reception. "Anything, bro."

"I can't do this without you," he said, his voice a little shaky. "I need you to walk me down the aisle."

Barley's hazel eyes widened a moment, but that quickly calmed into a serene smile. "Of course. There's no place I'd rather be."

"Thank you." He shakily embraced his older brother, but this wasn't just thanks for doing the task—it was for everything. For always being there with him, for boosting his confidence. Without it, he probably wouldn't be about to marry Aeric.

"Hey—always," Barley replied selflessly, squeezing back lightly before pulling away. "Mom says Corey's got everything set up at the Tavern. We should get going soon."

"Only if it's in Guinevere." They had a tradition, and Ian sure as hell wasn't breaking it, even if it was his wedding. There was no other chariot he trusted quite as much as Barley's noble steed, still beautiful after ten years and much love and work done on her.

They weren't running late, so Ian just kept his staff in the van, making sure every layer of his skirt was in place as Barley drove them up the the lookout. Everything had been set up with chairs in place, facing a lovely altar made of flowers, leaves, and twigs. Guests sat respectively, atwitter with conversations about the sunny weather, the wonderful view, speculation on what Ian would be wearing. And there was Mom, fixing Colt's bow tie as he took a seat in Ian's section. Fiske helped Della sit in one of the chairs, as she insisted on being out of her tank as much as possible for her son's wedding, and smoothed the wrinkles on her sea foam green dress (Mom's matched in pink).

"Hey, Corey texted if we're ready." Barley nudged him. "Aeric's about to wait at the alter."

Ian's heart pounded—sure, he'd wanted this to happen, but for it to happen now, with everyone in attendance, and he in this wonderful dress, Dad's suit jacket tying it all together... the reality came crashing down in an instant.

He was about to marry Aeric Aldheim, his high school and college sweetheart, and take on his surname with his own. The thought alone thrilled and frightened him.

Deep breath. He crossed a ybottomless pit, outran a gelatinous cube, fought a concrete dragon, faced the most dangerous wizard in the realms, taught 60 hyper kids on a regular basis...

He could get married to the man he loved more than anything.

Another deep breath. He let Barley open the door for him, stepping out with a hand gathering his skirts. A sdeafoam green carpet had been laid out down the aisle, so Ian wouldn't have to worry about anything dragging in the dirt. And there was Aeric at the end, his turquoise hair slicked back, still in his Wayfarer glasses. He insisted purple not be in their color scheme, much as it was Dad's favorite color, so Ian respected it. And yet... the pink in his tie made his violet eyes pop even more, but maybe it was just how they widened when they locked gazes. As predicted, the sight of Ian made his fiancé tear right up.

The music was cued, to one of Ian's favorite Puddle of Mush songs, slow and wonderful. Blazey went first, slowly working pink flower pedals down the aisle, scurrying into Mom's arms. Then Figment, a pillow with their rings attached to his back, down the aisle to Della, who held out his favorite toy to give him some incentive.

Barley held out his arm, and Ian took it gratefully, slowly making his way over to Aeric, so ready to be his husband. Corey beamed from the altar in her smart suit, glasses on so she could officiate the wedding perfectly.

As he got closer, Ian realized that, yes, Aeric was just trying to hold in tears, holding his hands together as tight as possible so he wouldn't look a complete mess. Barley gave him one last hug before Aeric reached out and took his hand, and Ian kissed his cheek. "You okay?" he asked lowly.

"Yeah, I just..." Barley took his seat, and Aeric led him right up to Corey. "Everything I had in mind for what you were gonna wear—this blows it all out of the water."

"I had a little help—I'll explain later," said Ian, quieting so Corey could start the ceremony.

Aeric cleared his throat, settling just for holding Ian's hands, and they both looked to Corey as she looked out at their guests. "Friends, family, esteemed colleagues... we're gathered here on this lovely afternoon overlooking this wonderful city to celebrate the union of two _amazing_ individuals: Aeric Aldheim and Iandore Lightfoot. Over the years, I got to see these two blossom together as a couple. And like all couples, they had their ups... they had their downs. They had time apart to learn themselves, and now, they've found each other once again—building this relationship for ten years just to reach this moment, this milestone. Marriage isn't just a certificate. For these two, it's building a union, growing stronger together. Learning that mistakes of the past is how they came back to each other, to take this next step as a couple. Should anyone object to this union, may they speak now, or forever hold their peace."

Ian held his breath; it wasn't like anyone would _object_ , but the thought still scared him. Luckily, Corey continued with a few traditional readings, telling a few jokes to lighten up the ceremony. But it was going too fast. Already it was time for them to recite their vows.

"In lies of traditional vows, the grooms have each decided to write their own." With that, they retrieved their vows from the inside pockets of their suit jackets, Aeric going first just for alphabetical reasons.

"I promised Ian I wouldn't cry much, but I saw him in his dress, and I'm pretty sure that all goes out the window." His natural humor easily got their guests to laugh. "When I got the call from work to return to New Mushroomton for our next project, I remember all the emotions that came with that decision: joy, apprehension, fear. Fear that I knew I would inevitably see Ian, and feel like I wouldn't be able to deal with this feeling that he'd probably moved on. And in some ways, we definitely both have. Ian, from this wonderfully shy, burgeoning wizard, to this confident, masterful schoolteacher who's teaching the next generation. And me, from a nerd who plays football to... an even bigger nerd."

Ian had been grinning this whole time, but it turned huge at that.

"It _was_ scary to see him again, not knowing if we were in this right place, or if our time had just passed. But looking now, as someone's who's not a big believer in predetermined fate, I think that we just somehow _knew_ we'd find each other again. And the time apart just made finding each other again all the more meaningful. I can't wait to take each day as it comes, finding little adventures even when times seem insanely uneventful. And if it's possible to love each other more every day, there's no one I'd rather try it with, than the man standing right next to me."

Ian wiped the single tear he let slip from his right eye, wondering how he could possibly follow up such beautiful words. But he took one of Aeric's hands in his own, composing himself for a moment before reading off what he wrote. "Aeric, our biggest tie has always been rooted in magic. It's how we met. It's how we celebrated out highs, and got through some of our lowest moments. You've helped me find myself, my voice, encouraged my passions when you have so many of your own. Being with you again, and falling into this rhythm... that magic just came right back. It's real in our love, in all the little moments cemented with these huge events. It's what I still feel when I'm with you. You know the decrees of magic. And that's because you are, and always will be, my Heart's Fire."

Short, sweet, and yet it still had Aeric lifting his glasses so he could wipe his eyes again.

Corey led them through the rest of their vows after summoning Figment up for the rings, repeating her in promises to always love each other as they slipped their bands next to the engagement rings. Ian looked into those sure, violet eyes, read Aeric's smile.

The good and the bad, from here until eternity... Aeric would always love him first.

He exhaled, unable to look away from—

"I now pronounce these two _proudly_ as husbands." In his peripheral vision, he watched Corey's wings flex slightly. "You may now kiss your groom."

In the past, Aeric used to dip Ian without a problem. But this time, just like at Graduation, he dipped his husband (!) into a kiss, sweeping him right off his feet. Their first sweet kiss as husbands—and it'd only get sweeter from here.

"Friends and family, may I present the Lightfoot-Aldheims!"

It was a blur as everyone cheered for them, and Aeric ran him down the aisle for pictures, with their backdrop as the gorgeous city below then, the sun hitting perfectly. The name... gods, that was his name now: Iandore Wilden Lightfoot-Aldheim. And it was _perfect_.

"I recognize my mom's wedding dress," Aeric noted in between pictures, smiling for their wunderkind photographer. "Some magical hybrid with our moms' dresses?"

"'Our moms,'" Ian sighed, leaning into Aeric's strong arms. "I love the sound of that so much."

The ceremony got packed up quickly, courtesy of Mom and Barley as he and Aeric took pictures. Corey took off early to start prepping for the reception (to make sure that everything was in its place—she _was_ a manager and owner, after all), and their guests soon took off, too, ready for cocktails and appetizers in the Tavern before they were announced. How could this afternoon be so perfect, like the clouds had parted just for them, no hiccups whatsoever? He could even tell, just from the camera snapping, that even their _pictures_ would come out wonderfully, a far cry from how stiff he'd been from winning a superlative with Aeric ten years ago.

" _We're married_!" Aeric cried off the lookout, picking Ian up into a twirl. Of _course_ he'd be over the moons at this realization, this high they'd both be riding for quite some time.

Once they arrived at the reception, courtesy of Barley and Guinevere, they waited a few moments before they faced all their guests again, but Ian could hear the low music, the pleasant conversations as everyone commented on the lovely ceremony and his stylish outfit. He took Aeric's hands, beaming at their rings with this solidification of their newly formed union. "I don't think I've stopped smiling since I saw you today," he admitted, squeezing his husband's hands lightly (he'd never get tired of even thinking it!). "You're so gorgeous in that suit, and gods, your vows..." He kissed Aeric again, grateful for their privacy, since they wouldn't get it again until they left for their honeymoon (a monthlong cruise all over the realms, a favor Ian had to really call in to his favorite sub, who was probably on her third drink by now, celebrating). "I love you so much, Aer."

"I love you too, Ian," Aeric replied against his lips. "Hearing you call me _your_ Heart's Fire—I don't think I'll ever get over it."

"Well, my vows were as honest as you always are," Ian sighed. "Now, are you ready to face the music and our entire family?"

"You're my husband," said Aeric assuredly, not letting go of his hand. "That's enough for me to face... well, what's worse than an evil, murderous wizard?"

"The uncertainty of the rest of out lives?" Ian guessed, knowing that now, he had a partner to face all those challenges with him.

"I'll walk straight into that fire with you," Aeric promised, his sincerity showing through.

"Then let's go." Ian texted Barley, so Corey could announce them once again.

"Friends and family, one more time, let's hear it for Ian Lightfoot-Aldheim and Aeric Lightfoot-Aldheim!"

Aeric opened the door, and Ian was completely prepared for whatever was in store, as long as he had his husband right here, holding his hand as they took this leap together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, how nice it was to write these two ANOTHER happy ending, especially after what happened last time. But this was a treat. And unfortunately, it's the end of their journey! If you've just arrived here, or if you've stuck around since I started writing for them (almost a year ago!), I hope you enjoyed Ian and Aeric's story. To know my boy and this ship are appreciated mean more to me than you'll ever know.
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day! Show me some love with kudos and comments? Please?

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments and kudos are insanely appreciated.


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